TOWNSHEND — A Vermont State Police trooper said a Boston man and his passenger escaped serious injury or death because they were wearing seat belts when the man’s car crashed around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday on Windham Hill Road.

In a press release, Sgt. Mike Sorensen, of the Vermont State Police, said Matthew Dagata, 27, of Boston, was driving west on Tuesday on Windham Hill Road in West Townshend, coming down a steep hill but driving too fast.

When Dagata tried to negotiate a moderate left curve, his 1998 Mercedes-Benz ML 320 slid on the light coating of sand on the road from the recent snowstorm. The road was otherwise clear of ice and snow, Sorensen said.

The car spun, left the north side of the road, struck an embankment and rolled over before coming to rest on its passenger side, partially off Windham Hill Road.

Police, the Townshend Fire Department, and Rescue Inc. were dispatched to the scene around 1:25 p.m. Both Dagata and his passenger, Julia Horowitz, 24, of Brighton, Mass., escaped serious injury because they were wearing seat belts, according to Sorensen.

“Given the dynamics of the crash, had either occupant been unbelted, serious injury or death would likely have resulted,” he said.

Dagata was at fault for the crash and issued a written warning, Sorensen said, because he was driving at an excessive speed for the road conditions.